Combination shovel and ash-sifter



' c. E. THOMAS. COMBINATION SHOVEL AND ASH SIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, I919.

Patented J une 17, 1919.

COMBINATION SHOVEL AN'D ASH-SIFTER.

Application filed March 21, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. THOMAS, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Shovelsand Ash-Sifters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to sifting or screening shovels, and more particularly to a combined shovel and sifter adapted to scoop up and sift ashes within the fire pit of a furnace.

It is well known that at least ten per cent. of coal can be saved by sifting the ashes coming from the average heating furnace. However, the sifting of the ashes is not generally done owing to the fact that they are allowed to accummulate to such an extent that considerable time and labor would be required to sift them. Furthermore, if the ashes are sifted indoors much dirt and dust will be caused. It is the purpose of the present invention to encourage the sifting of the ashes each day, in the ash pit where all dust and dirt will pass up the open fine.

In the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated,

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention;

Fig.2 is a side view, and

Fig. 3 is aside view partly in section and partly broken away.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a preferably rectangular shovel or scoop of light strongsheet material such as galvanized iron. The shovel comprises perpendicular sides 2, end wall 3 and imperforate bottom 4 preferably pressed from a single sheet of metal. A handle 5 of any desired length and inclination is secured to the end and bottom walls by angle brackets 6.

An ash sifter or screen 7, of light sheet material such as tin or the like, and comprising side, end and bottom walls 8, 9, and 10 respectively is pivotally mounted within the shovel 1 as by means of pivot pin 11 passing through the side walls of the shovel and screen adjacent the rear ends thereof.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1'7, 1919.

Serial No. 283,963.

The bottom 10 of the sifter is open as at 12, which opening is covered by a wire mesh 13. The forward end of the bottom 10 is formed with an extension or lip 14 bent downwardly over the forward end of the bottom 4 of the shovel 1 and then bent backwardly and upwa'rdly upon itself and thence downwardly to form the inclined and vertical end walls 16 and 15 respectively.

Suit-able means is provided for elevating the forward end of the sifter by rocking the sifter upon its pivot 11, comprising a bell crank 17 pivoted to the cars 18 as at 20 and having one arm extending through the slot 19 and pivoted to the wall 9 of the screen. The other arm of the bell-crank is con nected to a hand lever 21 by means of a link rod or the like 22.

In use the shovel is inserted through the door leading to the ash pit of the furnace and when a sufficient quantity of ashes have been scooped up the screen is agitated by reciprocating the shovel to and fro within the ash pit or by manipulation of the hand lever 21. The shovel is then withdrawn from the ash pit, and the screen elevated to retain the sifted cinders, and coal while the ashes are being dumped. The cinders and coal may then be dumped in a pile or thrown directly into the furnace. It will be noted that the inclined and vertical walls 15 and 16 formed by bending the lip 14 in the manner hereinbefore described direct or guide the ashes into the screen and retain the sifted cinders and coal therein respectively.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim is:

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a shovel having a screen pivotally mounted therein, the bottom of said screen having a lip extending from the forward end thereof down over the end of the shovel, said lip being bent backwardly and upwardly upon itself to form an inclined wall and thence downwardly to form a vertical wall, substantially as described.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, ashovel having a screen pivotally mounted therein, said screen having a part extending beyond the forward edge of the shovel bottom, said part having an inclined portion In testimony whereof I ailix my signature and a vertical portlon adapted respectlvely in presence of two wltnesses. to facihtate scooping the ashes into the screen and to retain the sifted coal in the CHARLES THOMAS screen when the forward end of said screen Witnesses:

is elevated on its pivot and the sifted ashes L. T. MARSHALL,

are discharged from the shovel. VVILLIABI F. OIiEEFE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

